Another busy week in Burgos

9/9  Yet another very busy but fulfilling week. Even though we had a rough week with Elder Hamren, the newest elder in the district, being in the hospital, we were still blessed by the Lord and were able to reach our goal of the mission's standards of excellence. The Lord has helped us so much these past 3 weeks. We have found so many people and made so much progress with those we already had. The work here is undoubtedly growing, and the field is white. Although it is a lot of work for two elders, Elder Webber and I are handling it very well. We seem to thrive on the fact that we always have someone to visit. Keeping so busy also keeps us very focused on the work, and that just makes us happier. We are doing great here in Burgos!

One investigator we are particularly excited about is Sauri. She is from Brazil and has a 7 year old daughter. We contacted her on the street a week or so ago and set up a visit for the following week. As we were walking the same area a week later, we saw her again, and she told us we would need to reschedule. Our first visit was very spiritual. We watched a little part of the restoration video with her, and she seemed like she was going to cry. The spirit was so strong, and she could feel it. In the next visit, she did cry. She had read the pamphlet we left with her and answered all of the questions perfectly. She accepted a baptismal goal for the 19th of September. When Sunday rolled around, we were a little worried that she hadn't arrived to sacrament meeting yet, so we stepped out to give her a call. Turns out she got lost, so we walked out to find her and walked back with her. She really hit it off with another member from Brazil and absolutely loved it. She told us she would do everything to get Sundays off of work from now on. We are so excited about her!

Juliana is doing very good as well. We are talking with their family and getting the program all planned out. The whole branch is pretty excited about this baptism, so it should be really good. It will probably be a double baptismal service with Juliana and Sauri! That would be so great for the branch.

If there is one thing I have learned this week, it's that the Lord has a plan for what He wants His missionaries to do, and He will set everything up so that we are able to complete His plans. We noticed very early on in the week that we had been blessed with enough lessons to meet our goals long before the week was over. We weren't sure why, but there had to be some reason. We later found out that Elder Hamren was in the hospital and that his companion, Elder Streadbeck, was left without a companion. We discussed it and prayed about it, and came to the conclusion that the reason the Lord had blessed us so early on in the week was so that we could go help Elder Streadbeck. We were able to visit Elder Hamren and bring Elder Stradbeck back with us so that he could have a companion for the night. When we got back, we were still able to have several lessons that afternoon with the three of us. In the end, everything worked out fine. Elder Streadbeck went back to Logroño the next day. I know that the Lord will prepare a way for us to accomplish our goals, no matter what the circumstances may be.

Two new baptismal dates!

8/31  We had another wonderful week this week. The largest miracle we saw this week happened last preparation day. While we were walking to the store to get some of our shopping done, we decided to go a different way than usual, thinking it might be faster. While on this new route, a women stopped us and asked if we were the Mormons. We said yes, thinking that this could either mean something really good, or she just wanted to hate on us. Anyways, we started to talk to her, and she told us that she had seen us across the river in the center of town a couple of days earlier and felt like she needed to talk to us. So when she saw us again, on the complete opposite end of the city of all places, she felt like she had to stop us. We set up a visit with her for the next day. When we met with her, she shared some of her beliefs, most of which were quite scary to be honest. Demons, spirits, and other really not good things. It was an interesting visit, but I know that if she reads the Book of Mormon, all those problems will be solved, and she will progress smoothly.

We are also teaching a family from Ghana. The whole family has been baptized except for the youngest daughter who is 11 years old. We have been visiting them and helping them get everything prepared for her baptism on the 19th. The family had gone inactive for a while, and when they started coming back Juliana decided she wanted to get baptized. The whole branch is really excited for this long awaited family baptism.

One thing I learned this week was the importance of being bold in missionary work. I don't know what it is about me and Elder Webber, but we seem to bring out the best in each other. I have noticed this week that I have been a lot more bold and direct with my commitment invitations and promised blessings. We have seen so many miracles because of that, one of which is that of Robert, the oldest of Luminita's sons now has a baptismal fecha! We were able to set goals with him to help him quit smoking, and boldly invite him to be prepared to be baptized on the 26th of September. We are very excited for him, and he is really happy about it as well. Being bold in invitations to act is how we show faith in the Lord and His teachings.

I am so excited to have 4 more weeks here with Elder Webber. We really work so well together, and we both work hard with all the people we have to visit. Not a still moment in the work here in Burgos!